Was just reading the new book, Making Things Move: DIY Mechanisms for Inventors, Hobbyists, and Artists by Dustyn Roberts and in the introduction was such a wise observation, I thought I would share:

Quote

In a conversation I had with Bre Pettis, one of the creators of the CupCake CNC atMakerBot Industries (www.makerbot.com), I asked if any of the creators weremechanical engineers by training. He replied “No, if we were, it would have beenimpossible.” The CupCake CNC is a miniature 3D printer that uses computer modelsto create real 3D objects about the size of a cupcake out of melted plastic. TheMakerBot team members were able to build it from available materials with the toolsthey had on hand. A trained engineer would have known how difficult this projectwould be and might not have attempted it without the proper resources or funding,but the MakerBot team members didn’t have the experience to know what they weregetting themselves into. They just kept their goal in mind and figured out a way. Thisbook is written for anyone who wants to build things that move but has little or noformal engineering training. In fact, as Bre said, not having engineering training mayhelp you.

So true. I think I was much more creative before actually becoming an engineer. Words to remember when we think to tell people that something is impossible or just too much effort.

A few off-the-cuff examples that prove Mr. Pettis is full of shit...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Wozniakhttp://www.ti.com/corp/docs/company/history/tihistory_subpage2.shtmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packard

To be fair, The Woz was never actually a classically trained engineer (he dropped out of college) and both Kilby and Hewlett/Packard had their breakthroughs while they were still VERY green, so really not the best examples.

To be fair, The Woz was never actually a classically trained engineer (he dropped out of college)...

Did he or did he not pursue a degree in engineering?

Quote

...and both Kilby and Hewlett/Packard had their breakthroughs while they were still VERY green, so really not the best examples.

Did they or did they not hold engineering degrees at the time they started working in the garage?

After getting famous and rich with Apple I believe he enrolled U.C. Berkeley under an assumed name and completed his EE. Prior to Apple he worked for Hewlett Packard as a non-degreed in one of their engineering departments. If belive prior to him and Jobs being able to sell the orignial Apple one design, Woz offered it to H.P. to see if they were interested in it or would allow him to sell it on his own, which of course he and Jobs did, the rest as they say is history. Job's I believe attended one year of college in Oregon I think in non-technical courses.